Shifty

ODOT has announced that it won't plow McKenzie Pass this spring, saying it will let snow melt away naturally. The press release mentioned the normal cost of plowing, so it must be related to budget cuts. Here's more info. https://www.ktvz.com/news/27806287/detail.html

Dabbo

Thanks for the update Shifty, I still have not make it back there after our trip few years ago, looking forward to try it again one of these years.
Maybe this way there is going to be less traffic ;-)
Later in the summer I am planning to be in Eugene for the Country Fair and I might try to ride up the road and see how far I can get until I get snow.
Ciao
Dabbo

LynnH

Yes Shifty, thanks for keeping us updated. I really want to do that road with no traffic, hopefully one day!

awesomejack

I rode up there last May. I ignored the road closed signs and the gate across the road, I almost got to the top and found out it wasn't completely plowed. There was a good 7 feet or so still around the middle of May.

Shifty

Still closed, they said that they are plowing 4 miles up from the east (Sisters side) gate. You should be able to ride the west side up to the summit and the Dee Wright observatory, then back. I'm keeping an eye on the news, will keep this thread posted. No reason NOT to do the west side ride to the summit and back, the gates are still closed, so no cars after the campground.

B. Carfree

Shifty (or anyone else),
What route do you take to ride from Eugene to McKenzie Pass? If you haven't ridden there yet but know of a decent route (the kind that doesn't get you killed), please share. Thanks.

Shifty

If you mean route from Eugene to 242 by bike there is only one basic way, up the Mckenzie River highway, route 126. There are several places to get off of the main highway (like taking Camp Creek road out of Springfield to Walterville), but that's the only way to go. An alternative is to take the LTD bus from downtown Eugene to the forest service ranger station in McKenzie Bridge, it's just 3 miles from the bus to the beginning of the road to the pass.

choteau

Hey, maybe carpool to the 242 Junction, or to the campground? Tim

Shifty

I hear that work is progressing with only a few miles left to clear. Have you bike and legs ready to go when they open soon for bikes only.

B. Carfree

Well, you can't quite get to the Dee Wright observatory yet. I took a ride up with a neighbor who wanted to check things out today. The plows were parked about one to two miles from the observatory coming from the west. (I'm taking his word for the distance since he had the map and I've never been there before.) If they run the plows this week the road should be clear by next weekend. So far they're just plowing a single lane through. If they stay with that plan we may have quite a while with the road closed but rideable.

Shifty

ODOT reports today that one lane of McKenzie Pass road is open to bikes and pedestrians only, it's time to roll. Here is the press release
https://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGIO...bikes-peds.pdf

KRhea

Let's ride!!!!

Any chance of getting a group together to ride the road? I'm in Portland and would gladly drive south for a meet-up ride.

KRhea

choteau

It's been 20 years since I drove over it, and I don't remember any killer grades. On Gmaps pedometer it looks like a semi-gradual but constant climb up the west side.

realskater128

Just biked from the western snow gate to the Dee Wright Observatory this morning. The road is in excellent condition, if you dont mind a few wet spots from snow melt. Have been waiting for it to open since it closed last year. The snow drift about a 1/4 mile from the observatory on the eastern side is an amazing sight to see at almost 20' tall. I have never experienced anything like it before. Its a good climb, there are no areas with an excessive grade, and the road is very free of debris compared to what I remeber from last year. Looking forward to doing it next week with a co-worker.

skiph

Shifty:

I'm going to send out a mass email to our club members over here, see if anybody wants to go next Saturday if it's nice.

I already have one guy who does, so will see if any more want to go.

Another guy from up in Wilsonville proposed a ride next Saturday also, and he will see what kind of a response he gets on that cycling group's 'meet-up' pages.

Skip

KRhea

Please keep me in the loop for any planned ride info. I'm in Portland and can get a few of my club members to join us I'm sure.

KRhea

rmc4739

I'm going to be in Bend the weekend of July 8th, is there any chance the pass will still be ped/bike only at that time? I had planned on riding up Bachelor but a carfree highway would be something spectacular. Thanks!

pwdeegan

i can't make any promises, but given that it's now tuesday 7/5, and given that in several locations on 7/2 there was still only one lane passable on the west side (the side with traditionally smaller snow banks), i'd be cautiously optimistic that the July8-10 weekend will still find OR 242 closed to automobile traffic. having written that, traffic before the gates is already heavy during the weekend (July4th weekend).

photo taken 7/2

pwdeegan

ODOT reports: "July 5, 2011 - Highway remains closed to motor vehicles. " This bodes well for auto-free pass rides this weekend.

rmc4739

Thanks! That photo has me even more anxious!

bobbycorno

Rode McKenzie from Sisters yesterday (7/9) - beautiful day, clear roads, lots of folks riding from both sides. From talking to those coming up the west side, I'd be surprised if ODOT didn't open the gates this week.

SP
Bend, OR

blk

ODOT will be opening the pass this Friday, July 15, at 8.00 AM. I'm going to be doing an up and down on the west side this Thursday if anybody wants to join.